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The Distracted Preacher and Other Tales
Alternate cover for ISBN10: 0140431241 / ISBN13: 9780140431247
Thomas Hardy's short stories reveal a literary persona, a creative intelligence and an imaginative vision uniquely and unmistakably his own. Those contained within this volume are among his finest and most representative and include The Withered Arm, one of his best known and most gripping; Barbara of the House of Grebe, said by T. S. Eliot to portray 'a world of pure evil'; The Son's Veto, regarded by Hardy as his best story; and, of course, The Distracted Preacher, possible the most flawless of all. Like the novels, the short stories reveal Hardy's preoccupation with affairs of the heart, with love requited and frustrated, fulfilled or doomed. They contain many of his most powerful portraits of women; they are streaked with the grotesque, the macabre and bizarre; and they are permeated by that atmosphere, narrative power, and vivid sense of place and its intimate relation to character which are the essentials of Hardy's genius.
Thomas Hardy's short stories reveal a literary persona, a creative intelligence and an imaginative vision uniquely and unmistakably his own. Those contained within this volume are among his finest and most representative and include The Withered Arm, one of his best known and most gripping; Barbara of the House of Grebe, said by T. S. Eliot to portray 'a world of pure evil'; The Son's Veto, regarded by Hardy as his best story; and, of course, The Distracted Preacher, possible the most flawless of all. Like the novels, the short stories reveal Hardy's preoccupation with affairs of the heart, with love requited and frustrated, fulfilled or doomed. They contain many of his most powerful portraits of women; they are streaked with the grotesque, the macabre and bizarre; and they are permeated by that atmosphere, narrative power, and vivid sense of place and its intimate relation to character which are the essentials of Hardy's genius.
361 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1897
15 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Hardy
2,386 books6,811 followersThomas Hardy, OM, was an English author of the naturalist movement, although in several poems he displays elements of the previous romantic and enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural. He regarded himself primarily as a poet and composed novels mainly for financial gain.
The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-fictional land of Wessex, delineates characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. Hardy's poetry, first published in his 50s, has come to be as well regarded as his novels, especially after The Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
The term cliffhanger is considered to have originated with Thomas Hardy's serial novel A Pair of Blue Eyes in 1873. In the novel, Hardy chose to leave one of his protagonists, Knight, literally hanging off a cliff staring into the stony eyes of a trilobite embedded in the rock that has been dead for millions of years. This became the archetypal — and literal — cliff-hanger of Victorian prose.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-fictional land of Wessex, delineates characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. Hardy's poetry, first published in his 50s, has come to be as well regarded as his novels, especially after The Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
The term cliffhanger is considered to have originated with Thomas Hardy's serial novel A Pair of Blue Eyes in 1873. In the novel, Hardy chose to leave one of his protagonists, Knight, literally hanging off a cliff staring into the stony eyes of a trilobite embedded in the rock that has been dead for millions of years. This became the archetypal — and literal — cliff-hanger of Victorian prose.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 24, 2018
The Penguin edition has a superb introduction by Susan Hill which I found very informative. There are some real gems in this collection along with a few duds. Hardy is much better known for his novels and poetry but he undoubtedly had a real talent for short story writing as well. He can paint a picture of a Wessex landscape or a country peasant in a few words. I especially enjoyed the title tale.
May 28, 2023
Must confess. In my late teens, I went on a Thomas Hardy binge. British lit wasn’t new to me, but something about Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd just hit my tragic drama queen teen heart. Read everyone I could get my hands on, and in those days, there was a fair bit to be found, in school libraries and even public ones. Inevitably the protagonist (and it was usually a heroine) came to a sad end, and I was there for it. So this collection was, shall we say, a blast from the past.
Looking at these stories now, they seem like such stifled lives. Missed connections. Things that should have been said but weren’t. Miscommunications. But I have to admit Hardy had a dark sense of humor. In An Imaginative Woman, the heroine, a poetess of no renown, has her poems published along with those of a moderately more successful poet. She absolutely fangirls the man, although they have never met, and since she was published with a man’s name, he has no idea who she is. He is occasionally in the neighborhood, or staying with a friend, or renting a cottage just down the road, but try as she may, she never manages to see him. Her husband, all the while is absolutely oblivious to her hapless maneuvers. Eventually though, the poet dies, and after giving birth to her fourth child, she does too. A few years later though, the husband finds a photo of the poet that his late wife had carefully tucked away, and seems to recognize the features as those of his youngest son. “I’m damned if I didn’t think so!” murmured Marchmill. Then she did play me false with that fellow at the lodgings! Let me see: the dates. . . . Get away you poor little brat! You are nothing to me!” Ha! Poor kid will never know why Dad hates him.
Looking at these stories now, they seem like such stifled lives. Missed connections. Things that should have been said but weren’t. Miscommunications. But I have to admit Hardy had a dark sense of humor. In An Imaginative Woman, the heroine, a poetess of no renown, has her poems published along with those of a moderately more successful poet. She absolutely fangirls the man, although they have never met, and since she was published with a man’s name, he has no idea who she is. He is occasionally in the neighborhood, or staying with a friend, or renting a cottage just down the road, but try as she may, she never manages to see him. Her husband, all the while is absolutely oblivious to her hapless maneuvers. Eventually though, the poet dies, and after giving birth to her fourth child, she does too. A few years later though, the husband finds a photo of the poet that his late wife had carefully tucked away, and seems to recognize the features as those of his youngest son. “I’m damned if I didn’t think so!” murmured Marchmill. Then she did play me false with that fellow at the lodgings! Let me see: the dates. . . . Get away you poor little brat! You are nothing to me!” Ha! Poor kid will never know why Dad hates him.
September 12, 2013
It's true that Hardy's short stories are severely underrated. After I picked this book up I was wondering if I should continue reading it all, but my obsessive, blind worshipping of Thomas Hardy won out (not with much difficulty).
Well, to be fair, some of the stories were admittedly lacking (for my taste, at least) but others were enthralling. The difference in Hardy's short stories and novels can be a little jarring in some cases - his novels are bleak, realistic but beautiful; while his short stories are largely composed of gothic elements, some superstition, some absurdity with light sardonic humour beneath the creepiness. I had difficulties enjoying some of the stories, probably because some cultural settings seem way beyond what we understand as modern readers. In any case, reading this book requires you to suspend nearly all kinds of disbelief in order to enjoy it. When I settled into the rhythm of the book I was finally better able to appreciate the writing for what it is.
Some of my favouritest among all of them: On the Western Circuit and The Son's Veto. (Among others, I also prefer A Tragedy of Two Ambitions, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, The Fiddler of the Reels and An Imaginative Woman.) All beautifully woven novels with characters sketched out effortlessly in just a few pages. Surprisingly I didn't much enjoy The Distracted Preacher, which is the namesake of this collection and also what has been recognised as possibly Hardy's best.
Definitely this gem contains some hits, some not-bad-enough-to-be-considered-misses. Hardy's writing persona is indeed different in his short stories, but read hard enough and you appreciate all of Hardy's genius in his observations of social class, romance and human ignorance. Tough not to love this guy.
Well, to be fair, some of the stories were admittedly lacking (for my taste, at least) but others were enthralling. The difference in Hardy's short stories and novels can be a little jarring in some cases - his novels are bleak, realistic but beautiful; while his short stories are largely composed of gothic elements, some superstition, some absurdity with light sardonic humour beneath the creepiness. I had difficulties enjoying some of the stories, probably because some cultural settings seem way beyond what we understand as modern readers. In any case, reading this book requires you to suspend nearly all kinds of disbelief in order to enjoy it. When I settled into the rhythm of the book I was finally better able to appreciate the writing for what it is.
Some of my favouritest among all of them: On the Western Circuit and The Son's Veto. (Among others, I also prefer A Tragedy of Two Ambitions, The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion, The Fiddler of the Reels and An Imaginative Woman.) All beautifully woven novels with characters sketched out effortlessly in just a few pages. Surprisingly I didn't much enjoy The Distracted Preacher, which is the namesake of this collection and also what has been recognised as possibly Hardy's best.
Definitely this gem contains some hits, some not-bad-enough-to-be-considered-misses. Hardy's writing persona is indeed different in his short stories, but read hard enough and you appreciate all of Hardy's genius in his observations of social class, romance and human ignorance. Tough not to love this guy.
October 10, 2020
A most well-curated collection of Hardy's best tales, those included leaning towards the more macabre and Gothic side of the master's sensibilities. "Barbara of the House of Grebe" and "The Withered Arm" are the stand-outs, but every tale has some merit and many are deeply moving.
January 6, 2016
Hardy's novels continue to be justly popular and his poetry (which he considered his most important work)has worn well with the critics, but the short stories deserve a much wider audience than they have received. This collection, which contains some of his best, provides a fine introduction to the dark vision of the late Victorian master. The title story is uncharacteristically happy, a pastoral piece in which Hardy tells a comic tale about a young woman's unexpected talent for criminal activity. The other stories are much more representative, being concerned with the perils of love, the cruelty of convention and the tragic vulnerability of human aspirations to the whims of fate. Many of the tales are also wrapped in the Gothic and even grotesque trappings that Hardy seemed to favour when the mood was upon him. This collection gives Bram Stoker and Stephen King a run for their money, featuring a corpse with a stake driven through its heart, a new bride spending her wedding night with her new husband by her side and the corpse of her first husband in the next room, parricide, suicide and kidnapping. The mood of the pieces varies from the sunny high jinks of "The Distracted Preacher" to the wrenching tragedy of "A Son's Veto" and the relentless horror of "The Withered Arm." Overall, this group of tales gives the newcomer to Hardy an excellent introduction to his talents as a storyteller, and fans of his novels will enjoy the opportunity to see the master at work on a smaller stage.
July 6, 2025
Criminally I'd never read any of Thomas Hardy's work apart from one of his most famous novels being (Far From the Madding Crowd). By now I really should've read more works by Hardy so as a fan of short prose decided to read this collection of compelling explorations of love, social class, superstition and legend from a literary icon, many of which set in Thomas Hardy's fictional town of Wessex. The majority of Hardy's work center around a female whether it be a woman in distress, silent contemplation or an unhappy housewife longing for pastures greener but there are also some which deviate from Hardy's comfort zone. Hardy certainly understood the female Psyche more than he did the male and in turn produced solid prose exploring human emotion and situations which could and most likely took place at one time or another and continues to so today, making his literature just as profound now as was in the 18th century. In saying this however, there were a few tales within this solid collection which showed that Hardy had versatility and range and could pen any such genre should he wish to do so. I will as always leave my standouts below which consist of all the shorts collected, excluding one (On the Western circuit).
1) The Distracted Preacher- Originally published in 1879 and easily one of the strongest stories in the book. A young Methodist minister, Mr. Stockdale arrives in Hardy's fictional village of Nether-Moynton to fill in for the regular preacher and in turn finds himself attracted to his young widowed landlady. Mr. Stockdale soon becomes entangled in her mysterious, secretive life and activities leading to events Stockdale could never have imagined. Superb stuff.
2) A Mere Interlude- Originally published in 1885 and again riveting in telling which tells the story of Baptista Trewthen, a young schoolmistress engaged to an older, wealthy man, David Heddegan. Mere days before the wedding, she encounters her former lover, Charles Stow whilst passing through the coastal town of Penzance before boarding her ferry home and impulsively marries him. A definitive page turner from start to finish and wonderfully written.
3) The Withered Arm- Originally published in 1888. I couldn't wait to get to this one as I'd heard many good things about this haunting and macabre short, a rarity for Hardy on all accounts. I'd hoped for an 18th century supernatural yarn similar in style to that of Sheridan Le Fanu but instead got a very human tale of horror as opposed to a supernatural element. Hardy had his own way of penning terror and did it in grounded yet solid fashion here. Gertrude becomes the farmer's new wife, whose arm mysteriously withers after she's visited in a dream by Rhoda, the farmer's former mistress. Driven by jealousy and a sense of supernatural retribution, Rhoda's dream proves the catalyst for Gertrude's affliction. Ultimately its a story which explores themes of jealousy, superstition, and looming destructive power of the past. Gertrude's desperately attempts to find a cure through folk magic. A solid example of Hardy's range and versatile writing hand.
4) A Tragedy of Two Ambitions- Originally published in 1894. Truly magnificent story telling here which explores themes of Love, loss, ambition and status. two brothers, Joshua and Cornelius are driven by ambition to escape their humble origins by becoming clergymen. Together they scheme to improve their social standing by sending their disreputable father away and concealing his absence from their sister, Rosa. An excellent story with solid characterization which demands investment from the reader. Hardy did his job and did it well with this one.
5) The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion- Originally published in 1924 is by far one of the strongest Romance tales ever penned. A gentle story set in rural Dorset which is centered around Phyllis Grove, a young woman living in seclusion with her father who has prearranged a marriage for her with an uninterested fiancé who is away in Bath on business, and who promises to return. Patiently she waits and upon sitting on a wall by her house, she eventually falls for a German soldier named Matthäus Tina, stationed nearby during the Napoleonic Wars. Not a huge fan of soft romance but make an exception when done with such finesse and poignancy in this flawless piece.
6) Barbara of the House of Grebe- Originally published in 1890. Another rare macabre tale by Hardy and better than (The Withered Arm) in my opinion. Lord Uplandtowers, a young man who lives in a mansion in Knollingwood Hall decides he wants to marry Barbara, the daughter of his neighbor Sir John Grebe. Events take a turn when she runs off with the handsome Edmond Willowes, a widow's son from a family of glass painters, and marries him without her parents' consent. The story really takes off when Barbara's parents accept the elopement and send off young Edmond to Italy where everything changes and strong themes of guilt are touched upon in the most chilling way. Flawless and visceral story telling here.
7) The Son's Veto- Originally published in 1891 is another gentle yet sad story which centers around Sophy, a working-class woman who regrettably marries an older vicar Mr. Twycott, after a brief courtship. When he passes away she is left alone with a younger son who is mostly away on study. Another chance encounter will test her vows which will in turn determine a choice of moral regard or to follow her heart. Typical Hardy heart string pulling prose, done in only a way he could do.
8) The Fiddler of the Reels- Originally published in 1893 and my favorite of the collection. Set against the backdrop a rapidly changing rural society the story highlights a love triangle in a small south Wessex village when a young, impressionable Car'line Aspent is transfixed and drawn away by a drifting, mysterious and captivating fiddler, Wat Ollamore who frequents small inns and village fetes. Ned her current partner learns of this odd affair and leaves to settle in London which leads to a turn of unforeseen events. This one had me gripped and possessed an unnerving sense of unease. If ever there was a haunting short from Hardy then this is it from the perspective of desire and control. Superb and five stars alone for me.
9) An Imaginative Woman- Originally published in 1894. Ella Marchmill, a bored, romantic wife is away with her gun seller husband and three children on the island of Solentsea. Upon entry into the hotel she learns that a poet has left the room for them to stay. Eventually Ella finds solace and excitement in an imaginary relationship with the vacant, reclusive poet named Robert Trewe. She becomes captivated by his poetry and creates a phantom romance by simply reading his poetry and seeing one photo of him in the room. (Hey what did I tell you about Hardy, love affairs and romance) But nobody does it much better.
10) The Grave by the Handpost- Originally published in 1897 and the final short and a strong conclusion to Hardy's collected works in this old English anthology. A group of carolers on Christmas Eve stumble upon a burial at a crossroads. The burial is for a man who committed suicide, a practice that at the time resulted in burial at the parish boundary, often with a stake through the heart. The story explores themes of grief, guilt, shame and social stigma along with the evolving customs of rural communities at that time. Real strong stuff.
In concluding, this is easily one of the finest written collection of shorts I've had the pleasure of reading. It remains without question that Thomas Hardy will forever be known as a literary icon and for good reason. A fine writer of his time who immortalized portrayals of rural life, complex characters, and exploration of social issues during the Victorian era.
1) The Distracted Preacher- Originally published in 1879 and easily one of the strongest stories in the book. A young Methodist minister, Mr. Stockdale arrives in Hardy's fictional village of Nether-Moynton to fill in for the regular preacher and in turn finds himself attracted to his young widowed landlady. Mr. Stockdale soon becomes entangled in her mysterious, secretive life and activities leading to events Stockdale could never have imagined. Superb stuff.
2) A Mere Interlude- Originally published in 1885 and again riveting in telling which tells the story of Baptista Trewthen, a young schoolmistress engaged to an older, wealthy man, David Heddegan. Mere days before the wedding, she encounters her former lover, Charles Stow whilst passing through the coastal town of Penzance before boarding her ferry home and impulsively marries him. A definitive page turner from start to finish and wonderfully written.
3) The Withered Arm- Originally published in 1888. I couldn't wait to get to this one as I'd heard many good things about this haunting and macabre short, a rarity for Hardy on all accounts. I'd hoped for an 18th century supernatural yarn similar in style to that of Sheridan Le Fanu but instead got a very human tale of horror as opposed to a supernatural element. Hardy had his own way of penning terror and did it in grounded yet solid fashion here. Gertrude becomes the farmer's new wife, whose arm mysteriously withers after she's visited in a dream by Rhoda, the farmer's former mistress. Driven by jealousy and a sense of supernatural retribution, Rhoda's dream proves the catalyst for Gertrude's affliction. Ultimately its a story which explores themes of jealousy, superstition, and looming destructive power of the past. Gertrude's desperately attempts to find a cure through folk magic. A solid example of Hardy's range and versatile writing hand.
4) A Tragedy of Two Ambitions- Originally published in 1894. Truly magnificent story telling here which explores themes of Love, loss, ambition and status. two brothers, Joshua and Cornelius are driven by ambition to escape their humble origins by becoming clergymen. Together they scheme to improve their social standing by sending their disreputable father away and concealing his absence from their sister, Rosa. An excellent story with solid characterization which demands investment from the reader. Hardy did his job and did it well with this one.
5) The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion- Originally published in 1924 is by far one of the strongest Romance tales ever penned. A gentle story set in rural Dorset which is centered around Phyllis Grove, a young woman living in seclusion with her father who has prearranged a marriage for her with an uninterested fiancé who is away in Bath on business, and who promises to return. Patiently she waits and upon sitting on a wall by her house, she eventually falls for a German soldier named Matthäus Tina, stationed nearby during the Napoleonic Wars. Not a huge fan of soft romance but make an exception when done with such finesse and poignancy in this flawless piece.
6) Barbara of the House of Grebe- Originally published in 1890. Another rare macabre tale by Hardy and better than (The Withered Arm) in my opinion. Lord Uplandtowers, a young man who lives in a mansion in Knollingwood Hall decides he wants to marry Barbara, the daughter of his neighbor Sir John Grebe. Events take a turn when she runs off with the handsome Edmond Willowes, a widow's son from a family of glass painters, and marries him without her parents' consent. The story really takes off when Barbara's parents accept the elopement and send off young Edmond to Italy where everything changes and strong themes of guilt are touched upon in the most chilling way. Flawless and visceral story telling here.
7) The Son's Veto- Originally published in 1891 is another gentle yet sad story which centers around Sophy, a working-class woman who regrettably marries an older vicar Mr. Twycott, after a brief courtship. When he passes away she is left alone with a younger son who is mostly away on study. Another chance encounter will test her vows which will in turn determine a choice of moral regard or to follow her heart. Typical Hardy heart string pulling prose, done in only a way he could do.
8) The Fiddler of the Reels- Originally published in 1893 and my favorite of the collection. Set against the backdrop a rapidly changing rural society the story highlights a love triangle in a small south Wessex village when a young, impressionable Car'line Aspent is transfixed and drawn away by a drifting, mysterious and captivating fiddler, Wat Ollamore who frequents small inns and village fetes. Ned her current partner learns of this odd affair and leaves to settle in London which leads to a turn of unforeseen events. This one had me gripped and possessed an unnerving sense of unease. If ever there was a haunting short from Hardy then this is it from the perspective of desire and control. Superb and five stars alone for me.
9) An Imaginative Woman- Originally published in 1894. Ella Marchmill, a bored, romantic wife is away with her gun seller husband and three children on the island of Solentsea. Upon entry into the hotel she learns that a poet has left the room for them to stay. Eventually Ella finds solace and excitement in an imaginary relationship with the vacant, reclusive poet named Robert Trewe. She becomes captivated by his poetry and creates a phantom romance by simply reading his poetry and seeing one photo of him in the room. (Hey what did I tell you about Hardy, love affairs and romance) But nobody does it much better.
10) The Grave by the Handpost- Originally published in 1897 and the final short and a strong conclusion to Hardy's collected works in this old English anthology. A group of carolers on Christmas Eve stumble upon a burial at a crossroads. The burial is for a man who committed suicide, a practice that at the time resulted in burial at the parish boundary, often with a stake through the heart. The story explores themes of grief, guilt, shame and social stigma along with the evolving customs of rural communities at that time. Real strong stuff.
In concluding, this is easily one of the finest written collection of shorts I've had the pleasure of reading. It remains without question that Thomas Hardy will forever be known as a literary icon and for good reason. A fine writer of his time who immortalized portrayals of rural life, complex characters, and exploration of social issues during the Victorian era.
January 21, 2016
As a long-time fan of Hardy, I was excited to read this great collection of stories that are both reminiscent of his novels, and also uniquely different. Some of these stories border on science fiction, while others just have the futility and angst of his classic books. Whether a Hardy fan or not, these stories are worth the time spent reading one by one, or as a set. Fabulous!
August 13, 2012
Better than when I read for A Level - The Only Way is Wessex...
July 6, 2023
This is a collection of image-filled short stories, painting scenes and colours from Victorian suburbia, rural wildernesses and burgeoning railway networks. I think that most of these stories derive from Greek tragedy and a transferred to Thomas Hardy's present and stretcing back to the Eighteenth Century. Any story that compels the reader to dip back into what they consider the highlights, is worth keeping for life.
July 22, 2017
After reading most of Hardy's books I decided to leave a couple on the shelf so that I would always have them to look forward to someday when I wanted something really good to read. After 25 years the pages have yellowed but the covers have never been opened... until now. It was worth the wait. Best of all I still have the whole set to enjoy all over again.
November 18, 2021
Here we have another compilation of Thomas Hardy's Short stories. It was wonderful to see another side of him and his writing. Looking at The Distracted Preacher, this was perhaps my least favourite books, it was a bit tedious in places and the weakest of his short stories. But, for a person looking to get into Thomas Hardy, this is a great book to begin with.
June 13, 2023
This was my first time reading Hardy, and these short stories were not what I was expecting at all. Instead of pleasant stories of rural life, these stories explored darker ironies that sometimes reminded me of gothic stories or noir short stories. They were definitely interesting, and I'd love to learn more about him.
January 26, 2018
I had not read Thomas Hardy, knew he was a great writer so went for the short stories. well worth it will I chase his other books? I have hundreds of other unread titles its hard to know. I'm considering culling - especially titles collected and unopened for many years.
June 29, 2021
A good collection that represents a sampling of Hardy's shorter fiction. There are more stories and collections but you can't go wrong with this one. One of the best short story writers, he masters the twists of fate that usually represent the best in short fiction.
January 18, 2026
Beautifully written, but I found the cumulative effect of all those poor souls just pining away too melodramatic. Although I understand some of that was just literary convention: sin cannot pay. Time for a novel?
July 5, 2018
Thomas Hardy never fails to captivate and entertain me! I just love the women in his stories they are so colourful and emotional I love it! Definitely one of my favourite authors!!
August 18, 2025
dude love. love thomas. such a good writer. such suspense. obsessed. would recommend. i read it aloud to my roommate every night, and it was the vibe for sure.
October 25, 2014
Hardy rightly deserves a place in the literary canon for his skillfully crafted highly artistic plots. In this collection of short stories he reveals himself again and again the master crafter of plots with twists and turns, and with strict discipline, relentlessly unfolds the consequences of a coincidental confluence of events.
But I have mixed feelings about his philosophical coherence. Certainly, it would be unfair to compare him to George Eliot or Dostoevsky or even the Bronte for philosophical depth. His writings have a singular consistent philosophical theme and that is the utter indifference of the cosmos or Providence to the the characters dreams, intentions or desires. To summarise, shit simply happens, and Hardy possesses the necessary discipline not to invoke deus ex machina or force the universe to be kind to any of his characters, in stark contrast to some of his airy-fairy romantic counterparts! However, if he has no illusions of a universe which is congruent or which converges to human desires or intentionality, he is certainly guilty of virtually the opposite "romantic vice", melancholy and tragic almost to the point of the fantastic that, in a paradoxical way, he grants them some sort of redemption by turning them into helpless victims of Fate, erring on the side that Fate is not merely indifferent but actively opposed to human desires or intentions. Of course it is easy for me to criticise, but I guess it requires really great discipline to create a truly un-romantically indifferent universe aloof to human desires and intentions, neither opposing or supporting, but simply, well, not caring or giving a shit. In this regard I think Dostoevsky and Eliot is certainly more successful.
A final weakness of Hardy are his characters, which so being helplessly bound to their desires or emotions, threatens to collapse into sheer two dimensionality. The passions which his characters possess are so overwhelming and exaggerated that it becomes rather unreal, certainly people are overcome by their emotions and their desires sometimes, but for Hardy, they tend to become so domineering that it borders on madness. Certainly if he were writing about madness or exploring the line between sanity and insanity it would be appropriate, but most of his characters seem to be possess of this life domineering obsessions or passions that it feels flat after a while.
But overall, I remain a fan of Hardy's short stories and novels for its brilliance in plot constructions...
But I have mixed feelings about his philosophical coherence. Certainly, it would be unfair to compare him to George Eliot or Dostoevsky or even the Bronte for philosophical depth. His writings have a singular consistent philosophical theme and that is the utter indifference of the cosmos or Providence to the the characters dreams, intentions or desires. To summarise, shit simply happens, and Hardy possesses the necessary discipline not to invoke deus ex machina or force the universe to be kind to any of his characters, in stark contrast to some of his airy-fairy romantic counterparts! However, if he has no illusions of a universe which is congruent or which converges to human desires or intentionality, he is certainly guilty of virtually the opposite "romantic vice", melancholy and tragic almost to the point of the fantastic that, in a paradoxical way, he grants them some sort of redemption by turning them into helpless victims of Fate, erring on the side that Fate is not merely indifferent but actively opposed to human desires or intentions. Of course it is easy for me to criticise, but I guess it requires really great discipline to create a truly un-romantically indifferent universe aloof to human desires and intentions, neither opposing or supporting, but simply, well, not caring or giving a shit. In this regard I think Dostoevsky and Eliot is certainly more successful.
A final weakness of Hardy are his characters, which so being helplessly bound to their desires or emotions, threatens to collapse into sheer two dimensionality. The passions which his characters possess are so overwhelming and exaggerated that it becomes rather unreal, certainly people are overcome by their emotions and their desires sometimes, but for Hardy, they tend to become so domineering that it borders on madness. Certainly if he were writing about madness or exploring the line between sanity and insanity it would be appropriate, but most of his characters seem to be possess of this life domineering obsessions or passions that it feels flat after a while.
But overall, I remain a fan of Hardy's short stories and novels for its brilliance in plot constructions...
March 11, 2019
Interesting collection of stories from Hardy. In my mind, I always imagined Hardy's novels to have an air of despair and tragedy, but these are stories in a lighter vein. They are set in the same Wessex, as are his novels, whose verdant landscapes and picturesque scenery provide piquant backgrounds to these stories.
These stories are amongst the finest I have read from that period. Not one of them failed to hold my interest. A few of them are variations on the theme of a character's youthful indiscretion coming to haunt them later in life. Most are set in the set in the villages of Wessex, which breathe alive in Hardy's descriptions. I thought "A Tragedy of two ambitions" was the centre piece of the collection. "Distracted Preacher" and "The Withered Arm" are stellar too.
I should think this a very good collection; and a gentle introduction to the oeuvre of Hardy. The stories exude a lingering charm of rustic places, and are a pleasant read.
These stories are amongst the finest I have read from that period. Not one of them failed to hold my interest. A few of them are variations on the theme of a character's youthful indiscretion coming to haunt them later in life. Most are set in the set in the villages of Wessex, which breathe alive in Hardy's descriptions. I thought "A Tragedy of two ambitions" was the centre piece of the collection. "Distracted Preacher" and "The Withered Arm" are stellar too.
I should think this a very good collection; and a gentle introduction to the oeuvre of Hardy. The stories exude a lingering charm of rustic places, and are a pleasant read.
August 3, 2008
I need to go back and read all of these short stories; I only read a few of them in graduate school, but what a lot of people don't realize is that Hardy was a master of the gothic, too. Definitely read "Barbara of the House of Grebe" and "The Withered Arm." Chilling tales! I love-love teaching "The Withered Arm" to college freshman!
December 31, 2015
Another great, solid collection of short stories from Hardy. Typical fare, but still lovely. I particularly liked the title story, 'A Mere Interlude', 'The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion', 'Barbara of the House of Grebe', 'On The Western Circuit' and 'An Imaginative Woman'.
January 7, 2008
I bought this for one story I heard read on a NPR program, and it was wonderful! A bit dated, but aren't all the classics?
April 17, 2008
A nice collection of short stories by Thomas Hardy. Especially enjoyed the Distracted Preacher, Barabara of the House of Grebe, and the Grave by the Handpost.
November 1, 2010
Some of these can sometimes remind a reader of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
April 10, 2013
-Plot: 4
-Characters Development: 5
-Writing Style: 4
-Consistency/realism: 4
-Entertaining: 5
-Creativity/predictability: 3
-Emotional Impact: 2
-Intellectual Impact: 2
-Characters Development: 5
-Writing Style: 4
-Consistency/realism: 4
-Entertaining: 5
-Creativity/predictability: 3
-Emotional Impact: 2
-Intellectual Impact: 2
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April 13, 2013A campy romp.
November 2, 2013
Curtinho, mas com potencialidade.
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